If "Wisdom" is viewed as a person who cries out for us to respond, seeks us out when we ignore her, and offers us the gifts of insight, discernment, the ability to distinguish between what is righteous vs. evil, etc. (yesterday's verses), then how did Wisdom come into being? Today's verses tell us about Wisdom's beginning.

The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth—when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race. "And now, my children, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do  not neglect it. Happy is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; but those who miss me injure themselves; all who hate me love death."   (Prov. 8:22-36)

These verses have depth to them that can't be covered in a short meditation. However, it is important to understand that these verses are not about Jesus; they are about Wisdom in a personified context. Wisdom was created by God at the very beginning (a beginning we know nothing about since this beginning precedes Gen. 1:1). Before God began to create our world, God (who was already with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who were not created by God but have existed with God from the beginning), God created Wisdom. Wisdom was then with God, and even assisted God, in the creation of our world. 

Why is this important? Wisdom expresses herself as watching over and delighting in human beings from our very beginning. Wisdom views us as her children - she wants us to live and wants us to be happy. The author is trying to give us something to think about. Why is wisdom so important? Why would God create it and want us to chase after it and seek its gifts? I think these verses give insight into what God wants for us and from us. God wants us to grow in knowledge and insight (Wisdom); God wants us to think and challenge ourselves and our beliefs. Do you think faith in God is for the gullible, unintelligent person? Not according to Proverbs 8!

Meditation suggestion: What jumps out at you most from these verses about Wisdom? Are you struggling with thinking of Wisdom as a person, as a mother-figure? Think about what a loving mother wants for her children. How do these verses support that visual?